Seven Days
by Logorrhea
Summary: In which Yusuke and the Darkness have one week to convert Fubuki to their cause, except Yusuke has enough tricks and memories that maybe that's not fair. Yusuke/Fubuki. Season 4. Slightly AU-ish. COMPLETE.
1. When All The World Dissolves

**Day One**

Lips brush over his neck, and Fubuki shudders. Tries to ignore it, even as Yusuke's tongue flicks out over the skin.

"Go away."

He knows Yusuke won't listen to him. Apparently Yusuke and the Darkness only have a short amount of time to win him over. Yusuke hasn't told him any more than that, and Fubuki hopes that the time's almost up. There's no desperation in this though, so he's not particularly hopeful.

"Go away."

This time Yusuke glances up at his face. Smirks and leans up, bites at Fubuki's lip. Fubuki shudders again, pulls away with enough force that Yusuke's teeth tear into it. He gags at the taste of blood, and Yusuke sits up. Licks Fubuki's blood off his lips and stares at Fubuki.

"Don't."

Fubuki knows there's no point saying it. Yusuke's lapping at the blood on his lips before he's even finished talking. He shoves at Yusuke's chest, and Yusuke sits up again.

"Why?"

He doesn't expect an answer. Knows it would be stupid to expect one, except that for the first time in hours, Yusuke actually responds.

"Because you belong to us."

Fubuki finds himself shuddering again. The way that Yusuke calls himself and the Darkness one and the same disgusts him somehow, so he pushes Yusuke off completely and stands up, turning his back on the other. Yusuke splays his hands out behind him to keep balance and watches Fubuki.

"You're not going to ask us to leave?"

This time it's Fubuki ignoring Yusuke, but Yusuke doesn't seem to be particularly bothered by it. Probably just glad that he gets to stay, Fubuki reasons to himself. Except that Fubuki isn't going to have him here.

"No."

Yusuke raises an eyebrow.

"No?"

Fubuki turns around to face Yusuke, eyes cold.

"No. I'm going to _tell_ you."

Yusuke laughs. Stands up, grabs Fubuki's face in both hands. Presses his forehead to Fubuki's. Fubuki struggles violently, and Yusuke's grip tightens, starting to become painful.

"How sweet."

Fubuki looks confused, and Yusuke laughs again. It's cold and harsh and not how Fubuki remembers Yusuke's laugh, and Fubuki suddenly misses the old Yusuke more than ever. Misses the pretty face and the warmth. Yusuke's still got the face, but something underneath the surface of his eyes makes it sickening to Fubuki. Yusuke's tongue lapping at his lip again distracts him from his thoughts, and he shoves at Yusuke's arms again. This time Yusuke lets go, heads to the door, and Fubuki lets out the breath he hadn't realised he was holding.

"You actually think one day matters to me."

With that, Yusuke is gone, and Fubuki shudders, everything seeming to dissolve around him as he slumps to the floor, suddenly exhausted. If one day means nothing, how long must Yusuke and the Darkness have?


	2. Confess And Be Hanged

**Day Two**

"You know you still love us."

Fubuki ignores him. He's been here about an hour today, attempting to make idle conversation as if yesterday didn't happen. As if none of it happened. As if he's still Yusuke, not this sickening thing he's turned into, this Darkness-and-Yusuke thing. Except that Fubuki can't forget, now that he's remembered. Not with the way Yusuke refuses to refer to himself without the Darkness.

"No."

"Oh?"

Yusuke seems genuinely surprised, either by the response or the fact that he got a response at all. He sits up straighter, waiting to see if Fubuki will elaborate.

"I never loved you. I loved _Yusuke_."

Yusuke and the Darkness laugh, and Fubuki knows because for all Yusuke's claims that they are one and the same, when the Darkness joins in the conversation their voices split, echoing together. The addition makes the laugh a perversion of Yusuke's old laugh, although Fubuki knows that it would be almost as bad if the Darkness wasn't laughing with him. Maybe it would be worse, because then Fubuki wouldn't be able to blame the Darkness.

"We _are_--"

"You're not. He's in there, but you're not him. And besides, only one of you can be Yusuke."

Yusuke laughs again, and this time it's just him.

"Would you prefer if we were allowed to speak alone?"

Fubuki frowns, confused, before he finally realises that Yusuke means _him_ and Yusuke, not Yusuke and the Darkness. He considers it for a moment before nodding slowly, and before his head has even finished moving the Darkness is gone. He can still feel it, flitting around at the edges of the room, but for now, him and Yusuke are almost alone.

"You still love me though."

Fubuki glares, because he doesn't know how to react. Yusuke's right, Yusuke _knows_ he's right, but Fubuki can't tell him that. Because to admit he still loves Yusuke is to give himself up, he knows that.

"I used to."

He can admit that, at least. That won't do him any harm, right?

"You still do. You can't lie to me."

Fubuki can, he really can. He has to be able to, because otherwise he's got nothing. And one day means nothing to Yusuke and the Darkness, and this is only the second day, so he can't lose now.

"Confess and be hanged..."

Yusuke raises an eyebrow as Fubuki whispers, and the Darkness takes the opportunity to coil itself around them again.

"If I say I love you then I'm yours."

Yusuke nods slowly, looking almost unsure. That doesn't surprise Fubuki though – he knows Yusuke didn't expect him to admit anything like that so early. Even if it's true. Even if he won't actually say it, because if he confesses then he dies. Perhaps he doesn't die, but he joins with the Yusuke-and-Darkness thing. Closer than he's ever been to Yusuke, closer than he ever thought he could be. But Fubuki needs to touch and be touched, and he doesn't want to be that close to Yusuke, doesn't want to be too close to touch.

"You're the jury and the axe and I'm on trial."

Fubuki hovers by the door, staring at a knot in the wood. He knows Yusuke thinks he's crazy, knows that Yusuke's probably right.

"How long do you have to get me?"

He looks around, and Yusuke opens his mouth to answer. Fubuki changes his mind, decides maybe the game will be more fun if he doesn't know. Thinks that he really must be going crazy if he's thinking it's a game, thinking about how it could be fun. Waves his hand to tell Yusuke to shut up, knows Yusuke will understand the gesture because he's made it so many times before, even if it's been years since Yusuke's seen it. Opens the door and turns his head slightly towards Yusuke.

"I expect you to be gone when I get back."


	3. Sweet Helen Make Me Immortal With A Kiss

**Day Three**

Fubuki doesn't bother going back to his room in the end, just crashes in Manjyome's room. Doesn't bother explaining why and just tunes Manjyome's protests out. Eventually snaps out that if Manjyome doesn't allow him to stay, Fubuki will make sure that the rest of the school knows every embarrassing secret that Fubuki knows about Manjyome. He's pretty sure he shocks Manjyome with that – he's never used something like that as leverage before, and he knows it's unlike him, but he can't stand being in his room right now.

In the morning he makes his way to the beach, slumps down on the sand and watches the ocean. It doesn't surprise him when Yusuke sidles up to him a few minutes later, examining the sand for a few moments before deciding to sit.

"You remember the last time we were here?"

Fubuki frowns, then nods.

"Just before you..."

He can't quite bring himself to say it, and Yusuke seems to find that funny, if the cold laughter is any indication.

"You could have come with me, you know."

Yusuke snakes his hand onto Fubuki's, and Fubuki shudders. Closes his eyes and shakes his head.

"No."

He knows Yusuke expected that answer, knows there was no need to actually speak, but staying so silent isn't something he enjoys. Yusuke laughs again, ignores Fubuki.

"You could still."

Fubuki can't help but stare at Yusuke.

"After all, you love me. There's nothing here for you. Your sister can take care of herself, and no one else ever wanted you around anyway."

It can't quite be fair, Fubuki thinks, since Yusuke knows him too well. Knows him well enough that he can't say that Ryo needs him either. As if he's reading Fubuki's mind – and he probably is – Yusuke interrupts his thoughts.

"Why would you think _Ryo_ might need you? He's decided he doesn't need anyone, and if he did need someone he has Shou."

Fubuki flinches, and Yusuke continues, ignoring him again.

"But _I_ need you. _We_ need you. For all of time."

"That's just a little longer than I can stick around for."

He says it so quietly that he's not sure Yusuke hears him. Not that it matters, because Yusuke knows anyway. Fubuki's realised by now that Yusuke seems to know it all. Whether he hears or not, Yusuke laughs, and Fubuki finds himself wanting to scream, because he wants Yusuke to _stop_. Stop laughing like that, stop looking like that, stop talking stop smiling stop _being_.

"I can keep you around, Fubuki. I can make it so you never die."

Fubuki doesn't respond, just stares silently at the sand beneath him.

"You can't tell me you've never wanted that. To live forever, to be eternal, to be everything and anything all at the same time."

Fubuki sighs. Knows there's no point lying, so he may as well tell the truth.

"Perhaps."

Yusuke laughs again, and again Fubuki wants him to _stop_, except this time he wants to _make_ Yusuke stop.

"You could have it. All you need to do is give in to what you want. You don't even need to actually say it."

Fubuki shakes his head. Hopes that Yusuke won't laugh, because if Yusuke laughs Fubuki's hands will be round his throat, and they'll both get to see exactly how immortal Yusuke is.

"What would I do instead then?"

He doesn't mean to say it, and Yusuke knows that, so Yusuke laughs. And as soon as the sound starts to ring out, Fubuki's on him, trying to get a grip on Yusuke's throat even as he grabs at Yusuke's hair.

Except that the Darkness is still there, and the Darkness doesn't want to lose its favourite host. It wraps around them both, and with it there Yusuke is able to pry Fubuki off with barely any effort. In extricating Fubuki's hand from his hair he bends one of the fingers backwards enough to almost break it, and Fubuki yelps, flinching away.

Fubuki doesn't make a move to come near Yusuke again, stays with a few metres between them because the Darkness _scares_ him. He doesn't want to admit it, but that thing – whatever it is exactly – scares him senseless, makes him want to run and hide like a child.

He knows Yusuke knows that. Even if he didn't know already, the wide smile stretching over Yusuke's face – not that it can be called a smile, all teeth and too-wide to be at all pleasant – would tell him.

"Just kiss me. You've done it before, you'll do it again."

Fubuki shakes his head, and Yusuke laughs again. Except this time Fubuki doesn't lunge for him, just flinches. Shakes his head again violently.

"No. Never again. Not with what you are. I can't."

Yusuke smiles again, the same too-wide, bared teeth smile as before.

"You will, Fubuki. I know everything and I know _you_."

He's right, and Fubuki knows it, no matter how much he wants to deny it.

"And besides, this is only day three. There's still plenty of time, and you're so close to breaking already. Almost stops it from being fun."

Yusuke's still smiling, and by now Fubuki's actions and reactions aren't his, they're instinct. Fight or flight, except that nothing can fight Yusuke, not while he has the Darkness with him.

So Fubuki runs, even though running makes Yusuke laugh again.


	4. And Every Creature Shall Be Purified

**Day Four**

Yusuke arrives earlier than he has any other day, so that he finds Fubuki still in bed. Staring up at the ceiling with a blank look on his face, except that when Yusuke enters that changes and he flinches away, pulling as close to the edge of the bed as he can. Yusuke smiles sweetly and sits on the bed, as if Fubuki was moving to give him space.

They both remain silent for what seems like hours – although it can't be more than a few minutes – until Yusuke speaks.

"Don't you want to purify the world? Show them the world of Darkness, and how much better their lives would be if they could only embrace us?"

Fubuki laughs, which seems to confuse Yusuke.

"You sound like Saiou."

This time Yusuke flinches, except it's not out of fear like Fubuki. The Darkness coils around him and for a moment Fubuki can almost see the mask over his face. Crawling closer to Fubuki on the bed, Yusuke growls like some sort of wild animal, the Darkness growling too so that the sounds lace together. When his face is so close to Fubuki that their noses are almost touching he speaks, hissing the words.

"You think I am in any way similar to _him_? To the host for the _Light_?"

In his haste to pull away Fubuki forgets that he's at the edge of the bed. Lands on the floor hard, and Yusuke lunges after him, still growling. They end up with Fubuki sprawled on the floor and Yusuke sat on his hips, and Fubuki can't help but think that if circumstances were different – if it were Yusuke, not Yusuke and the Darkness – he would have pointed that out. That Yusuke would have blushed and stood, pulling Fubuki back onto the bed with the excuse that the floor wasn't comfortable. That Fubuki would have laughed and kissed him.

Except that circumstances aren't different, and he can't kiss Yusuke, because to kiss Yusuke would be to give up. And Yusuke and the Darkness are still growling at him anyway. He shakes his head, even though Yusuke _does_ remind him of Saiou, because he values his life. Not that they would kill him, since they apparently need him. But if his still-hurting finger is any indication, they have no qualms with hurting him.

"Good. The host for that _thing_ is nothing like me, right Fubuki?"

Fubuki nods again, and Yusuke stands up. Doesn't bother offering to help Fubuki, and Fubuki makes a mental note never to compare him to Saiou again. Because no matter how alike they sound, comparing the hosts for the Light and the Darkness was never a good idea in the first place. He pulls himself back onto the bed, watching Yusuke.

Yusuke paces about, apparently conversing with the Darkness, if the hushed muttering is any indication. Without warning he snaps himself around to face Fubuki.

"Why do you still resist us?"

Fubuki frowns. Tries to work out if Yusuke sounds like that because he's running out of time, or because he's still angry, except that Yusuke's back to being unreadable, so there's no point even trying.

"Because if I give in, I have to watch you and the Darkness destroy everything, or drag it into the world of Darkness, or whatever it is you're planning to do."

Yusuke smiles and shakes his head.

"Not watch, Fubuki. You'd be a part of it. You'd be one with our power, helping to purify the world with Darkness."

In his head, Fubuki notes that Yusuke really does sound like Saiou, but he doesn't say it out loud. Shakes his own head.

"What about the people I love?"

"They would be purified with Darkness. And if they resisted, they would be destroyed, of course."

Fubuki stares at him.

"Of course ? How can you say that? Don't you have people that _you_ love?"

Yusuke remains silent, and Fubuki looks down at the bed.

"If you're even still capable of love, that is."

For once, Yusuke seems to realise that he's overstayed his welcome already, and sighs. Mutters something that Fubuki doesn't catch to the Darkness before leaving. He smiles cheerily and waves at Fubuki as he leaves the room, and Fubuki shudders. Ignores the sudden memories of Yusuke smiling like that before he joined the Darkness by shoving his head under the covers and screwing his eyes tightly shut as if to stop himself crying. Not that he is crying, not that the wetness on his cheeks is really there at all.


	5. We Decieve Ourselves

**Day Five**

Yusuke arrives even earlier than the day before, and when Fubuki wakes up it's to the sight of Yusuke beside him. Sat up with his legs curled beneath him, his back leaning against the wall as he watches Fubuki. Fubuki shudders a little – enough for Yusuke to see and laugh cruelly – before sitting up himself.

"You're here early."

Yusuke doesn't answer, just reaches out to twirl a lock of Fubuki's hair between his fingers. Leans forward to nuzzle at Fubuki's cheek like a cat, and for a few minutes Fubuki lets himself be fooled. He knows that Yusuke's not back, can feel the Darkness flowing around and between them, but it's too early in the day for logic and he wants to believe anyway. Yusuke moves to kiss him every few seconds, but Fubuki's aware enough to stop that.

After a while Yusuke pulls back, frowning, apparently bored with his unsuccessful attempts at kissing Fubuki.

"Why do you respond like you did, but still not let us kiss you?"

Fubuki smiles sadly, reaches out to run his fingers through a few strands of Yusuke's hair. Yusuke moves his head away from the touch, still frowning.

"Well?"

"I'm not stupid. Letting you kiss me is the same as kissing you."

Yusuke shrugs.

"I suppose. Why let us touch you at all then?"

Fubuki reaches for Yusuke's hair again, and this time Yusuke lets him touch it, watching the fingers move through his hair.

"Unlike you, I'm still human. I believe what I want to believe."

"And what did you want to believe?"

Fubuki can barely bring himself to say it. Just wants to bite out _you know what I wanted to believe_, because Yusuke does, and the Darkness does, and when he says it they'll laugh again, and every time they laugh he wants to throw up.

"You know what I... I wanted to believe you were _you_ again."

It's not until after he says it that Fubuki realises he's given Yusuke an opening. Realises as Yusuke smiles – except it's still not a smile but Fubuki doesn't know what else to call it.

Yusuke crawls forward on the bed, and it takes all of Fubuki's willpower not to scramble away like yesterday, but he manages to stay put as Yusuke settles himself. Practically on Fubuki's lap, and the part of Fubuki that doesn't mind pretending wants to pull him close, wants to have Yusuke settled on his lap smiling like _before_. Except that the only smiles he gets from Yusuke now are either sickly-sweet and mocking or not even smiles at all, and now is nothing like before. It's been too long and they're too different and Yusuke's not even entirely human any more.

"Why would you want that though, Fubuki? Is it because you still love us... still love me?"

Fubuki shakes his head violently and looks everywhere but Yusuke, even though they both know that Yusuke's right. That Fubuki still loves him, because Fubuki's old-fashioned on the inside and as much as he might tell every girl he dates that he loves her, Yusuke's the only one he's really ever loved. Although he almost wishes he'd loved Ryo instead – as painful as the Hell Kaiser ordeal had been even just as Ryo's friend, Ryo had at least never spent days on end trying to tempt Fubuki into darkness.

Yusuke leans forward to kiss Fubuki, who turns his head to avoid it.

"Stop it. I don't... I can't..."

They both know he has no real defence, but Yusuke seems content to give up, for a few minutes at least. The Darkness seems annoyed about that, coiling around Yusuke and hissing in a language Fubuki can't understand, if it even is a language. Yusuke hisses back and it seems to calm, settling itself around both of them again. Fubuki almost opens his mouth to ask about it, but his own personal piece of the Darkness (sealed in a card in his _pocket_ and how has Yusuke not found it yet?) twitches warningly and he pauses before giving up on the idea completely.

"You've worked out that we're running out of time, haven't you?"

Fubuki blinks a few times, then shrugs.

"Well I... had guessed."

Yusuke nods, standing up and making his way to the window (Fubuki can't tell if he's just being different or if he meant for that sudden rush of memories). Pauses before jumping out to look back at Fubuki.

"Running out of time or no, we all know you're deceiving yourself if you continue to believe you can resist us."


	6. To Shun The Snares Of Death

**Day Six**

Yusuke doesn't even bother turning up today, which surprises Fubuki.

"After you told me you're running out of time, you're not even going to come see me?"

There's no answer, and Fubuki sighs.

"I want to know why you joined with he Darkness. Is that what you wanted me to do today?"

Still no answer, but Fubuki decides he's right anyway. Spends almost an hour attempting to hack into the school systems to get at Yusuke's records before giving up and slamming his fists into the desk.

He ends up going to Misawa. The other looks confused when he arrives, which isn't surprising considering they've never really spoken.

"I need to access the school systems. I need... someone's records."

Misawa still looks confused, but he nods.

"Anyone in particular?"

"Fujiwara Yusuke."

There's a pause, and then Misawa nods again. Fubuki settles himself on the bed to watch, although by the time Misawa has actually accessed the file he ends up having to wake Fubuki up. Once he's awake, Misawa almost asks why he needed the file, but one look at Fubuki's face changes his mind, and he almost wishes he'd let Fubuki sleep for a while longer, if only because it would probably have done Fubuki some good to sleep.

Fubuki pulls himself up slowly and makes his way over to the computer. Misawa settles on the bed himself to give Fubuki privacy, shifting himself onto the warm spot where Fubuki had been. Glances at the screen every few seconds, because as much as he wants to give Fubuki privacy, he can't help but be interested.

Fubuki eventually settles on Yusuke's medical records. Looks for the one reason that he could accept, the one reason that would hurt more than anything but would at least really, truly _explain_ things. And even Misawa, who doesn't know what Fubuki's looking for, knows he's found it by the choked almost-sob from Fubuki. He staggers up, thanks Misawa and runs out, looking like he's about to vomit.

Misawa moves back to the computer to close up Yusuke's information, but he can't help but wonder what could have caused that reaction in Fubuki. Sits himself down and begins to read through the medical records. It only takes him a minute to realise what caused the reaction, but he reads on anyway, looking over every bit, just to be sure. Because part of him wants it to be wrong, so that he can tell Fubuki and Fubuki can stop looking like he's about to drop dead himself.

Except that Misawa doesn't realise that Fubuki needs this reason. Except that it's true anyway. The records end at almost exactly the time Fubuki disappeared, which convinces Misawa that Yusuke disappeared at the same time, but there's one key difference. Yusuke was dying when he disappeared.


	7. Come Give Me My Soul Again

**Day Seven**

Fubuki waits for Yusuke in his room. Somehow knows that Yusuke will come today, if only because Fubuki _knows_ now and he also knows Yusuke will try to use that.

Yusuke doesn't disappoint. Jumps in through the window, drops onto the bed and crawls towards Fubuki.

"So you know now?"

Fubuki nods, looking numb.

"Why did you never tell me?"

Yusuke is silent for a moment, and then the Darkness pulls away. Still there but only barely, and the conversation itself is entirely Fubuki and Yusuke.

"I didn't want to hurt you."

Fubuki smiles sadly and looks away.

"But don't you realise that losing you... like _that_ hurt anyway?"

Yusuke freezes. Stares at Fubuki and pulls closer.

"You can still be with me though, Fubuki! Just join with the Darkness and we can be together again!"

A flinch.

"You want to, I know you want to! _Please_, Fubuki."

Fubuki looks back at Yusuke. Reaches out and strokes Yusuke's cheek, closing his eyes.

"I want... I want..."

He pauses, opening his eyes again to stare at Yusuke.

"I can't... There's Asuka and everyone else... You can't expect me to choose between you!"

Yusuke remains silent. Leans closer so that their lips almost touch and watches Fubuki.

"But even if there were a way to separate you from the Darkness, you'd still..."

"Die? Yes. This is the only way I can survive."

Fubuki nods slowly. Sighs, and he's so close to Yusuke that the breath ghosts over Yusuke's lips. Closes his eyes and closes the distance, and suddenly there are tears running down his face. Dripping onto his collar and Yusuke reaches up, brushing at them without pulling away.

Fubuki can feel the Darkness coiling around them, and he's feeling everything, so wrapped up with them that he can barely tell what's him or Yusuke or the Darkness. They collapse down completely onto the bed, Yusuke biting Fubuki's lip so the cut he made before opens. And it's awful and wonderful at the same time, all blood and tears and the Darkness pulsing around them and Fubuki can't even breathe.

Yusuke pulls back to let Fubuki breathe, and the Darkness flows between them, so that when they come together again Fubuki can taste it, and it tastes of blood and smoke, and the feel of it moving against his tongue makes him shudder. Fubuki isn't sure how long they kiss, but this time when they pull apart the Darkness is visible, black wispy tendrils of it floating out of their mouths like cigarette smoke. Fubuki can barely breathe past the taste and smell of it, and Yusuke looks like he's in the same state.

They kiss again, and this time the Darkness covers them completely, around and inside and Fubuki can barely tell himself from them again. Presses his forehead against Yusuke's as the air around them goes cold, and half-opens his eyes. All around them is darkness and the Darkness, and Fubuki freezes up slightly, moving to pull away. Yusuke deepens the kiss.

_The world of Darkness. Don't worry._

Fubuki's eyes widen and he stares at Yusuke.

_You can do it too. Here we're one... No. We're one everywhere now._

Fubuki pulls back from Yusuke before leaning forward again and kissing him, except this time it's chaste and gentle. Yusuke smiles softly as they break apart, and even though the Darkness is still coiled tightly around them, it's beautiful and everything that Fubuki remembers.

_I love you._

Neither of them is sure who said it, but neither of them care. And even though Fubuki's given up almost everything, he can't think about that. Because at least for now, all that matters for Yusuke and Fubuki is that they're together again, and they're closer than they've ever been, and for now neither cares about anything else.


End file.
